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May 10, 2012

I am in a right state of excitement today because I am conducting an interview with the amazing Ballerina Kimberly Cowen from Kansas City Ballet. KCB is one of the over 30 US companies coming to my hometown of St. Louis for the Spring To Dance Festival– a three-day concert where companies in various mediums (ballet, jazz, modern, tap, African, Indian, flamenco-you name it!) come and perform under one roof. New York City is the only other place that does something like this with their Fall for Dance Concert and with St. Louis being smaller, not as generously funded or flooded with a surplus of rich art aficionados, I’m really proud that my little city pulls this out. I’m also excited because Pilobolus and River North Dance Chicago are coming this year (two of my favorites!)

I’m just particularly excited about this upcoming interview because I have actually shared the stage with Ms. Cowen many many years ago. When KCBallet went under a different moniker, ‘State Ballet of Missouri’ the company performed The Nutcracker here in St. Louis. Ms. Cowen was the Sugar Plum Fairy when I was a soldier in act one and candy bon bon in act two. She was one of my first ballerina idols and here I am about sixteen years later, with the opportunity to pick her brain. (My interview will be shared on my site on Monday if you get curious to see how it goes!) I love being able to meet people that have inspired me, to say thank you and get to know them a little bit.

Which idol from your childhood would you like to speak with?

On another note, I mentioned how incredible the Festival is because so many amazing companies come together for one concert series. I’d like to take a second now to address the other guest writers here on Tina’s wonderful site. I think we all signed up for this guesting gig because we hoped to reach a wider audience, possibly expand out own readership back on our homesites, that kind of thing. I would just like to say to you that I am so inspired, challenged, delighted by you and your posts. I don’t know if you wonder if any of the other folks sharing this guest house are paying attention. I am. So here is a response to a few posts that really touched me:

I dream of elegant costumes, a dark theatre with a full house, everyone holding their breath with me under pink and blue stage lights. (Loved your list Marthe- I will say that I lived in New York and it’s an experience for sure!) There is actually only one book on my shelves that I haven’t read, and it’s ‘Player Piano’ by Kurt Vonnegut. I went through a ‘phase’ where I wanted to read everything he wrote and I maybe overdosed. So I haven’t gotten around to that one yet. I now want to go to Wroclaw, Poland. I wish Dizzy Lizzy would make me a mix tape or DJ my new birthday party. Karen, that picture of the girl with bird in her hair honestly made me tear up. The first poetry contest that I won was when I was in college and I wrote a poem about my Dad watching the goldfinches in our backyard. My Dad passed away in September from cancer and goldfinches always remind me of him. I made that picture my computer wallpaper. Gulfem, I love your DVD collection, especially that you have ‘The Prestige’ and ‘The Illusionist’ right next to each other.I wish all of the bloggers here could have big ‘getting to know each other’ dinner party where we could share pictures, ideas, and of course, macaroons. Maybe we could meet up in Bluebeard’s barn (another Vonnegut reference) and share our secrets. Pass me that plate! (artwork by another hero, my Grandfather, Herbert Ruhlin)